A bit better

For the first time in quite a while, my knee is better than it was the previous day...and no Motrin today!

I did the leg/back workout two nights ago, and then last night some real easy biking for 1/2 hr. Going to do the leg/back workout again tonight, and then maybe try an easy run the next day. I think the icing is helping a lot!

Definitely Not a Morning Runner

I've known this for awhile, but today was strong evidence that I am a way better runner at 5 in the afternoon as opposed to 8 in the morning. I did a run from home this morning which was basically the first part of the Mountain Goat course and I struggled. I was hot, tired, very stiff... etc... etc... The best part of the run was that I felt a lot better at mile 3 than I did at mile 1! No sore knees today, but I am guessing that is because of the shorter distance.

Tomorrow is x-training day. Classes start, so the gym is going to be absolutely mobbed. What fun!

Foiled again!

Nice weather, thought I'd run 5 miles, or at least 3-4. My knee wasn't getting better, but not any worse, so I started to run. It seemed ok. I decided to stretch around the 1 mile mark, both as a break, and to stretch warmer muscles. After than, whoa! The knee pain came back with a vengeance, and I ended up getting to about 2 miles, and then walking (and limping) 2 miles back. I have a guess that the particular stretches actually made it worse. I am going to change that, and I plan to keep up with the schedule of alternating days, knee exercises and run.

It really is frustrating though. :(

Going Long

In a change of strategy, I moved my long run from the weekend to mid week. At least that way if I don't run over the weekend, I will still get a long run in for the week. I went 10 miles today and I didn't take my watch. The weather was absolutely perfect- no humidity, enough cloud cover that the sun wasn't beating down on me, and a nice fall like temperature. Amazingly I sweat a lot less during that run than I have in the past month!

I felt pretty good for the first 5-6 miles, but as I got closer to the end my right knee got pretty sore. We'll see how it feels tomorrow, but I think I might be dealing with a rejuvenation of lateral patella compression syndrome which I struggled with in the spring. Guess I will have to get back to the knee exercises after all.

Overall, today was a nice run. It was good to get outside and run a new route, which I think I will definitely use again!

Variables

Just to rule out some variables...I ran in my old shoes tonight and my knee still hurts a lot, once I stop. So it's not the shoes, or at least not only that.

Still struggling...grrr

A took a break for a bit, then yesterday I did a leg/back workout. I seemed "ok" today...not great, but a bit better. Not a lot of knee or plantar pain, but some. Today I try to treadmill, and get 20 minutes in and I feel my knee. If I had the same level of pain in, say, my stomach I wouldn't notice it all that much....but I don't want to exacerbate the problem like I did with my plantar.

I am going to a running store tomorrow to look at shoes, and to ask some questions also. I'm getting a little nervous about making the half-marathon in October, but there stlll is some time.

Time Keeps on Ticking...

Well, this is the first time in forever that I am uninjured minus a blister on my foot... but now it seems that my biggest enemy is time. I don't feel like there are enough hours in the day, and I really don't have any excuses. I don't have anyone at home to take care of. It's just me and my dissertation (and golf!). There are only three weeks until the ARC half marathon. I am not going for time on this run, but I am getting really worried about finishing. I did one 10 mile long run a few weeks ago, but between heat and orientation I haven't added any miles!

I am going to continue along with the training course that I have been on and I think that I should be fine (injuries pending) for Newport. So to start this week, I did an hour on the elliptical. And tomorrow is a 5 mile run.

I need some motivation to get my butt out of bed in the morning to run!!